The 8th Toronto Multicultural Film Festival has concluded in Canada.

The 8th Toronto Multicultural Film Festival 2025 concluded in Toronto, Canada, in an atmosphere full of joy, celebration, and diversity. The five-day festival, which has become a gathering place for film lovers, began on August 24 (Monday) at the Cineplex Odeon located at 22 Lebovic Avenue in Toronto.

The other three-day screening (August 25-27) took place at the Multicultural Film Screening Centre, located at 3000 Danforth Avenue, Toronto. On August 26, a film screening and special sessions for children were held.

This year's festival is dedicated to the birth centenary of legendary Bengali film director Ritwik Ghatak. The festival was inaugurated by Ghatak's niece and expatriate teacher Reena Chakraborty.

Scarborough Southwest MPP Dolly Begum, City Councilor Parthi Khandeval, Barrister Chayanika Dutta, and Ontario Liberal Party General Secretary Ahsanul Hafiz spoke at the opening ceremony.

Monis Rafiq, the festival coordinator and general secretary of the Toronto Film Forum, delivered the welcoming speech, and Enayet Karim Babul, the forum's president and festival director, delivered the closing speech.

The inaugural ceremony was hosted by Maitreyi Devi and Sukanya Chowdhury.

The closing ceremony of the last day of the festival was addressed by broker Sheikh Hasib Hossain, social worker Shahid Khandaker Tuku, barrister Jayanta Sinha, MP Bill Blair's representative Sarwar Chowdhury, and young politician Tanvir Shahnawaz.

The program was hosted by Gautam Sikder and volunteer Arunim.

This year's festival featured 44 films from 26 countries. Nearly 4,000 films were submitted, coming from 122 countries. 35 volunteers worked on the entire organization of the festival.

Ritwik Ghatak (born 5 November 1925, Dhaka) has repeatedly portrayed the pain, crisis and struggle of the people uprooted by the partition of the country in his films. His timeless films include: Ayantrik (1958), Megh Dhaka Tara (1960), Sokomalgandhar (1961), Subarnarekha (1962), Titas Ekti Nadir Nam (1973), Yikti Takk Aar Gappo (1974).

Members of the Toronto Film Forum, the organizers, said they were proud to be able to organize this festival dedicated to Ghatak on the occasion of his birth centenary.

It is worth noting that the Toronto Multicultural Film Festival was established in 2017 to mark Canada's 150th anniversary. Since its inception, it has become a recognized platform for international independent and alternative filmmakers. Zeeshan Sultana serves as the official photographer of the festival.